Portland is Oregon’s largest city and sits on the Columbia and Willamette rivers in the shadow of snow-capped Mount Hood volcano. It is known for its parks and bridges as well as for its eco-friendliness and coffeehouses. We have been fortunate to visit this city many times over the years and there is a lot to do in this city.
- Pittock Mansion
- Downtown Portland
- Rose Test Garden
- Portland Japanese Garden
- Mount Taber Park
- Tulip Garden
- Mt Hood
- Powell’s City of Books
- Forest Park
- Cascade Range Volcanoes from West Hills neighborhood
Pittock Mansion – Located west of downtown Portland, this lovely mansion was built in 1914 by Henry Pittock who was the founder of the Oregonian newspaper. After Pittock died in 1919, the Pittock family remained in residence at the mansion until 1958 when Peter Gantenbein, a Pittock grandson who had been born in the house, put the estate on the market and was unsuccessful in selling it. The City of Portland bought the house in 1964 and restored the damages caused by the Columbus Day Storm in 1962. It opened to the public in 1965 and has been a community landmark ever since.
You can drive up to the mansion or hike up to the mansion on the Wildwood trail. You get a fantastic view of the city of Portland and Mount Hood from here.
Downtown Portland – Downtown Portland is filled with great shopping, cafes, museums, sports arenas, and theaters. The Pioneer Courthouse Square in downtown, is a gathering space where most days, you can see people enjoying their lunch or relaxing after exploring the city. From food carts to art installations and performances, the Square is a must-see.
Rose Test Garden – More than 10,000 individual rose bushes bloom in the International Rose Test Garden (IRTG) from late May through October, representing over 610 different rose varieties. The majority of roses in the Garden are commercially available. About 10 to 20 varieties are replaced each year with some of the best new roses released onto the market. The primary purpose of the Garden is to serve as a testing ground for new rose varieties.
Japanese Garden – Across the street from the Rose garden is Portland Japanese Garden. This garden is created in a way to find a balance between nature and design. There are not a whole lot of flowers as the garden relies more on greenery, rocks, ponds, and water falls. It is considered to be one of the most authentic Japanese garden outside Japan.
Mount Taber Park – Portland is home to many wonderful parks, but only one is built atop a volcano. The 636-foot Mount Taber is a dormant volcano and is surrounded by a city park. Named after an Israeli peak of the same name, Portland’s Mount Tabor became a city park in 1909. The famous landscape architect John C. Olmsted designed the park with several walking trails, gently curving roads, long flights of stairs, and plenty of space to showcase native plants.
Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm – This Oregon farm specializes in tulip and daffodil bulbs and is home to the annual Tulip Festival with over 40 acres of beautiful blooming bulbs. The Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival is an annual celebration of spring, showcasing acres of breathtaking tulip fields in bloom. Located in Woodburn, the festival attracts visitors to experience the beauty of millions of blooming tulips. Tulips bloom from late March until early May and the best time to visit may be in mid-April.
Mount Hood – Just 70 miles east of Portland, the iconic Mt Hood volcano is the tallest peak in Oregon reaching a height of 12,250 feet above sea level. It is part of the Cascade Range with the most recent eruption occurring in the early 1800s. Today it does not show any signs of imminent eruption and is quite safe for visitors.
You can see this volcano from many places within Portland, Pittock Mansion(see above) or while driving on Interstate 84.
Powell’s City of Books – Spanning an entire block in Pearl District of Portland, Powell’s City of Books is the largest independent bookstore in the world. It boasts a collection of more than 1 million used and new books and a host of other items like games, greeting cards etc.
Forest Park – This park provides refuge to hundreds of native wildlife and plant species. It also has more than 80 miles of trails and there are more than 40 access points to this 5,200 acres park.
Cascade Range Volcanoes – In addition to Mt Hood which can be seen from many places around Portland, you can also see a few other volcanoes on the cascade range, like Mt Helens, Mt Adams, and Mt Rainier. Here are some pictures and Video of these volcanoes as we took a hike near the West Hills neighborhood in Portland.
